ERIC Number: EJ887936
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Apr
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Determination of the Specific Heat Ratio of a Gas in a Plastic Syringe
Chamberlain, Jeff
Physics Teacher, v48 n4 p233-235 Apr 2010
The rapid compression or expansion of a gas in a plastic syringe is a poor approximation of an adiabatic process. Heat exchange with the walls of the syringe brings the gas to equilibrium in an amount of time that is not significantly greater than the length of the compression or expansion itself. Despite this limitation, it is still possible to measure the pressure changes during a rapid change in volume and calculate an approximation of the pressures for an adiabatic process. From these values the specific heat ratio of the gas can be calculated.
Descriptors: Physics, Science Experiments, Measurement Techniques, Scientific Concepts, Science Instruction, Teaching Methods, Science Activities, Heat, Thermodynamics, Laboratory Procedures
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A